From North Korea kidnapping Shin Sang-ok to Richard Burton being hired by Tito, fame-hungry demagogues have always understood the power of the movies. But, as new comedy Lost in Karastan shows, working with tyrants can be tiring

After his gross-out satire The Interview threatened to trigger a third world war, the actor/director/artist/novelist shot a subtle drama about a gay activist who becomes a straight pastor. He speaks to Ryan Gilbey about pushing the limits

Up this week is eerily topical civil rights drama Selma; Aardman caper Shaun the Sheep: The Movie; big-budget space opera Jupiter Ascending; and the film that so annoyed North Korea, The Interview. Plus, interviews with Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo

Guardian critics Peter Bradshaw and Catherine Shoard mull over the big releases: Selma, Shaun The Sheep: The Movie, Jupiter Ascending and The Interview. Plus, interviews with Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo

Though Bafta’s winners can expect effusive acclaim on Sunday night, the current awards fare is toothless. Over the past year, cinema has lost its social and political nerve and industry and audiences alike are opting for comfort food. How did we let this happen?

Officials in North Korea, apparently mistaking the regular German release schedule for the programme at this year’s Berlin film festival, threatened the Berlinale with ‘merciless punishment’ unless they cancel showings of The Interview